Improvement in mode of attaching car-wheels to axles



G. M. PALMER.

I Car Axle. No. 34,070. Patented Jan. 7, 1862.

52AM M1, 634M )f d Qwfl N.PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHERI, WASHINGTON D cUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILMAN M. PALMER, ()F CLINTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MODE 0F ATTACHING CAR-WHEELS TO AXLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,070, dated January'7, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILMAN M. PALMER,of Clinton, in the county ofWorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain newand useful improvements in the method of attaching car-wheels to axlesso that each may have a motion independent of the other; and I dodeclare that the following is a full and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference thereon, making a part of this specification, in which Figure1 is an elevation showing one of a pair of car-wheels attached to theaxle in the manner hereinafter set forth, and Fig. 2 is a sectionextending longitudinally through the axle and wheels.

The nature of my invention consists in attaching and holding'a car=wheelupon the axle so that it may move independently of the axle, and thusunder certain circumstances it will revolve while the opposite wheel isstationary, or the opposite wheel, if fastened rigidly to the axle, mayrotate with the axle, while the loose wheel is stationary.

Ordinarily both wheels are attached rigidly to the axle, and thisarrangement is well adapted to a straight track; but in running a carupon curves,where one wheel is naturally required to pass over a greaterdistance in a given time than the other, there is considerable torsionupon the axle and strain upon the wheels and other parts of the car. Itis the object of my invention to overcome this difficulty, and in orderto enable others skilled in the art to use my invention, I proceed todescribe the construction and operation of the same. 1

The ordinary axle A is used, With bearings x 00, for the support of thecar.

The wheel B is the'common carovheel attached firmly to the axle in theordinary manner.

At a proper distance from the end of the axle the collar 0 is shrunk orforged upon the axle, and this collar holds or supports the wheel uponits outer or exposed side.

The wheel D is constructed with a circular recess upon its outer side,which admits the collar 0 and leaves a space between the collar C andthe surface of the Wheel sufficient to receive appropriate packing g g,which may contain oil and also protect the axle from dust. A secondrecess of greater diameter and less depth is also formed around the onelast mentioned. This latter recess is designed to receive a cap 0, whichholds the packing g g in place and protects the packing and bearings ofthe wheel and axle from dust. The cap 0 is secured to the wheel by meansof screws or their equivalents.

The wheel D is held and supported on the opposite or inner side by acylindrical collar E, which is made fast to the axle by means of thescrew (1, cut on the axle, and the the wedge h. A set-screw may also beused to hold or to aid in holding the collar E.

A cylindrical hub F is projected from the Wheel on its inner side. Inthe end of the cylindrical collar E is a recess,which answers to ashoulder upon the hub F of the wheel D. This recess is of sufficientdepth to receive the shoulder and also to receive packing f f againstthe end of the hub. This packing may be of material adapted to absorband hold a supply of oil for lubricating the bearings. The collar isperforated at t' in such a manner that oil is conveyed to the axle. Theremoval of the screw 75 also furnishes an op portunity for conveying oilto the axle.

The cap a is designed to cover and protect the screw 01, and it alsocontains a slot,which admits and holds the end of the wedge h.

Surrounding the axle, the collar E, and a portion of the hub F is ashield or cap Z,Which is attached to the hub F by screws j j, thusprotecting the joints and axle from all foreign substances. Between thisshield or cap Z and the cap a and the axle is a space a e to receivepacking and oil for protecting and lubricating the bearings. This shieldor cap may be made of cloth, leather, metal, or other equivalentmaterial, and it maybe fastened to the collar E or to the hub F.

The axle at G is of suificient size to allow the screw d to be outtoward the collar 0 if and whenever there should be such-wear of theparts of the collar E and the hub F as to require it.

Both wheels of the pair may be attached to the axle in the manner abovedescribed, or one of them may be attached to the axle rigidly, as isshown in Fig. 2.

The wheel D might be held upon the axle by a collar shrunk upon it onthe inner side of the Wheel either with or Without the use of the collarE.

I am aware that various devices have been before invented for holdingcar-wheels loosely upon the axle; but I am not aware that any one hasinvented the mechanism above described and applied it to the purposeherein specified.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The use of the collar 0 or its equivalent, whether forged with theaxle or shrunk upon it or attached to it by any other means, incombination With the wheel D and the hub F, or their equivalents, in themanner and for the purposes substantially as described.

2. The use of the cap 0 or its equivalent, in combination with the wheelD, the space g, and the collar 0, or their equivalents, in the mannerand for the purposes substantially as specified.

3. The collar E or its equivalent, in combination With the screw (1, thespace f, and the hub F, or their equivalents, in the manner and for thepurposes substantiallyas specified.

4. The cap a or its equivalent,in combination with the collar E, screwd, Wedge h, and the shield Z, or their equivalents, in the manner andfor the purposes substantially as herein set forth.

5. The use of the screw d or its equivalent, in combination with thecollar E and the Wheel D, With its hub F, or their equivalents, in themanner and for the purposes substantially as specified.

6. The use of the Wedge h or its equivalent, incombination with thescrew d and the collar E, or their equivalents, in the manner and forthe purposes substantially as specified.

7. The shield Z or its equivalent, in combination with the space 6, thecollar E, and the hub F, or their equivalents, in. the manner and forthe purposes substantially as specified.

GILMAN M. PALMER.

lVitnesses: Y

J. Q. A. GRIFFIN, H. EDGARTON.

